The past few days have been challenging. Rather than getting upset, I am using this time as a great reminder that nothing is permanent…. not even our troubles!
So, a couple of days ago my parents came to visit. I was out all morning at meetings and then stopped at the grocer to get all the ingredients for homemade lasagna and bread from scratch. I rushed home to find the water softener installer guy at the house. I was able to get enough water to start dinner before he shut it off but I was not able to make my famous maple cake. So far, no big deal. Mom and Dad show up and we all ate the delicious meal while talking all about my new baby pygmy goats. After dinner mom went out to see the new babies and I joined her after clearing the table. As I approached my mom informed me that one of my goats was dead. I didn’t want to believe it but it was true… Furio was dead and Frederico was curled up with him crying. Then, as I tended to Frederico and tried to comfort him, I must have squatted down into a mosquito swarm because I was suddenly attacked by tons of mosquitoes who bit me right through my yoga pants! I had about 30 bites all over my legs and my butt! Later that evening, my parents decided NOT to stay out my house because apparently, my house is now overrun with fleas. (We had exterminated the house before we moved in because the previous owner had about 45 feral cats living in the house. Apparently, we need to do it again!) Mom and Dad went and stayed at a hotel for the evening and I went to my room to relax and put the long day behind me. As I brushed my teeth to get ready for bed, a hornet flew into my hair and got stuck! That was the straw that broke the camels back…. I freaked out. I started swatting my hair and inaudibly screaming for Thad to rescue me. He ran to help but the hornet was thrown from my hair and disappeared somewhere in my closet. Covered in calamine lotion, itchy and sad, I felt defeated, I curled up on Thad’s chest and went to bed.
The next morning I woke up with gratitude and appreciation that yesterday was behind me. I spent that day in reflection for all that I am grateful for. If my life were not so completely wonderful, then the bad days would not stand out so much. No matter how bad a moment, a day, or an event seems, it will all be OK. Nothing is permanent and just as troubles come, they also go. The more attached to outcomes we are, the more we will suffer.
I think the Universe wanted to make sure I believed this philosophy because last night, I was awakened by a very loud noise coming from my closet. I jumped up and saw the picture above. After spending a great deal of time unpacking, organizing, hanging, and folding my clothes, my closet collapsed and undid all of my hard work in an instant. My daughter Carrie even helped me by color coding my hanging clothes from lightest to darkest and now they all lay in a heap on the floor. At about 2:30am this morning when this happened, I rolled my eyes, said “whatever” and went back to bed. Today, I got a laugh out of it.
Nothing is permanent, and our attachment to order or desire for control will always leave us feeling unstable or unhappy. Let go; we control nothing, our troubles are not permanent and they will leave us. Go with the flow of life, anger and resentment will never change another persons behavior, it won’t hang your clothes back up, it won’t bring your dead goat back, and it will never make you happy. It’s a bad day, not a bad life, accept what life throws at you, make the most of it, and Live Inspired Now!
Heather Paris inspires people all over the world to create happier lives through talks, workshops, blog posts, and her book, Live Inspired Now; A Field Guide For Happiness. For more information about transforming your relationship, family, or your life, contact Heather today!
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